There are so many different types of bikes nowadays that it’s mind-boggling. So how do you choose a bike? In order to choose the right one, you should first find out what you want to do with it.
If you want to drive 60 kilometres a day on the highway in a slick suit or hike on an extreme forest trail, the following is not for you.
If you’re up for a fun ride on the beach, in the city or in the park, the following story might be just for you.
If you’re fed up with traffic jams and don’t mind expensive parking in the city centre, the alternative is to buy a good urban bike. There are many different types of city bikes, so here’s some advice on how to choose a bike for someone living in the city.
Cruisers – for a stylish ride to school or work in style
Cruisers are designed for a cool ride. Cruiser bikes have a nice relaxed upright riding position and a wide, comfortable saddle.
Wide tyres reduce shocks
As a rule, cruisers have wide balloon-type tyres. Often they are coloured to make them more attractive. However, a wide tyre is useful on a sandy beach or in a park over soft grass.
N.B.: Wide tyres also act as shock absorbers.
Big pluses of the Cruiser
The handlebars on cruisers are upright and usually bent backwards, making them easy to hold. Most cruiser bikes are single or triple speed. As well as a handbrake, they generally have a classic pedal brake, or foot brake, which works by pushing the pedals slightly backwards.
This type of urban bicycle is designed primarily for shorter trips and for commuting to work or school on flat streets.
In the case of cruisers, the manufacturer places great emphasis on looks. A wide range of colours and styles should ensure that every fashion and style enthusiast can find a stand-out cruiser to suit their needs.
Flat Foot comfort bikes – What are they?
All Electra bicycles feature Flat Foot Technology – invented and patented by the Electra Bicycle Company. This means that these bikes have a slightly extended frame and pedals that are pushed a few inches forward of the seat. This allows you to sit with the saddle position low enough so that when you come to a stop, your feet can rest comfortably on the ground without coming off the saddle. At the same time, you can properly extend your leg when you crank the pedals.
These city bikes differ from cruisers in the shape of their frame and their handlebars are relatively straight. Tyres are available in both wide and classic versions.
In appearance, they are less noble than cruisers. Bicycles with hub gears usually have three or seven gears. With a conventional gearbox, there can be 8 or 27 gears, depending on the model.
Classic urban bikes
A city bike is not really a category of bicycle but rather a general descriptive term.
Most people think of a classic city bike as a bicycle with a basket in an upright riding position. In the city, a hybrid bike is fine, but a classic urban bike has the characteristics of both a hybrid and a cruiser – usually the upright riding position of a cruiser and the wheel and tyre size of a hybrid bike.
The classic urban bike has features that make it comfortable to ride in a skirt, shoes, coat or pants:
- Proper mudguards and mud flaps – they also provide real protection against dust splashes.
- Chain guard – prevents the possibility of your trouser leg getting caught in the chain or lubricating your shins against the chain with oil.
- Skirt or coat protection on the rear wheel – you can ride safely in a stylish flared skirt or long coat without fear of it getting caught between your spokes.
- Luggage racks and/or basket – you don’t have to burden yourself with a rucksack, you can put your computer and grocery bag on a sturdy luggage rack with a safety net to keep things from flying out.
A good urban bicycle will have an internal gear hub and roller brakes, which are practical in our dusty climate because they are maintenance-free and don’t get sand and dirt between them.
A very good urban bike also has LED front and rear lights powered by a hub dynamo, which are a great help for safe driving in low light or dark conditions. And for added safety, there are reinforced puncture-resistant tyres.
These bicycles are sometimes called Dutch bicycles because they are similar to the urban bicycles commonly used in Amsterdam and other bicycle-friendly cities in Europe.
If you live in a block of flats where there is no lift, the most important factor for you may be the weight of the bike.
These urban bikes have a simple, slender design and not many extras. This is to make the bike as light as possible. They have a light and slim frame that doesn’t compromise on ride comfort. These city bikes have narrow tyres for fast riding on asphalt.
After all, you can also choose a bike purely on the basis of gut feel or looks!
Once style, always style!
